Mendou na Koi :: Troublesome Love
by violettachan
Summary: NOT INOSHIKA! Will Shika really find a girl who isn't troublesome? And what girl would want his attention? Shika's POV vs. Various Girls' POV.
1. 1Onna wa Mendou : Girls are Troublesome

**:::::Mendou na Koi :: Troublesome Love:::::**

By: Violettachan

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and its related characters.

Summary: Shikamaru finds that love just won't leave him alone, no matter how troublesome.

ha- is a Japanese sound effect that symbolizes a sigh, kya- is a girly scream, and ne- is a girly sound put before or after sentences. Others may creep up, but they are mostly little things that won't take away from the meaning of a sentence.

_Italicized_ words are Shikamaru's thoughts.

Well, enjoy and let me know what you think. And the pairing is a secret for later. Evil Grin.

**_:::::Mendou na Koi :: Troublesome Love::::: _**

_**Ch.1 Onna wa Mendou :: Girls are Troublesome**_

"Kya---- Sasuke-kun!!!!" "Ne-- Sasuke-kun!!!" "Sasuke-kun!"

_Oh joy. It's started again. How annoying. _Shikamaru sighed loudly. It was just his luck to be stuck waiting around until Ino could get her Sasuke-lover-fangirl syndrome under control long enough for him to drag her away to the team meeting with Asuma.

"Oi, Ino we're gonna be late."

"Urusai, Shikamaru. Stop bothering me!"

_I'm bothering HER?? Uh, wasn't that supposed to be his line?? She was the one being bothersome and refusing to budge from the spot. God, the only thing the guy was doing was staring straight ahead._

"Look, he obviously doesn't want to talk or else he would have said something by now."

"Shut UP! He's being a good listener! Unlike you, baka."

_Right. Is this extreme positivism or complete stupidity I'm facing here? Ino really was capable of both. Ha- whatever, this wasn't worth wasting brain power on. _

"Hai hai. I got your point. See ya."

"WAIT!!! You can't go. Then Asuma will KNOW that you'd already let me know of the mission and it'll seem like I was being late on purpose! Stop being such a jerk! Ne, Sasuke-kun?"

_Me? Jerk?? Oh well, I can handle that. _Yawning, Shikamaru started to slowly slouch off. _Let me see, it should take about 40 more seconds for Ino to notice I'm gone and I should be around the corner by then, forcing her to actually leave Uchiha and follow me instead of screeching for me to come back since she won't know how far ahead I will be. _The smirk on Shikamaru's face would have made him look like the genius strategist that he was, if it hadn't been for his drooping eyelids and dull eyes which only showed sleepiness. As it was, he looked more like an insomniac that had learned the secret to a full night of sleep.

_Great, here she comes. Why can't I have more than a few moments of peace? At home it's Mom and at work it's Ino, ha-... _His inner sigh was cut off by Ino's screams.

"Shikamaru!! I can't believe you left me! God, have you even heard of teamwork before??"

_Please tell me that ninja villages just happen to breed fiery, stubborn girls. They sure are great for kunouchis, but there is no way in hell that I would date someone like that. Please God, tell me they aren't all like that, so I at least have some hope of finding a NORMAL girl somewhere._

"Answer me! Don't you dare ignore me!!"

"But I was just following Uchiha's example of being a good listener."

"Oh no you didn't!! How dare you mock Sasuke-kun! You're just jealous of him because he's so much better than you! And because he's so handsome and cool and..."

_Blah, blah, blah. Spare me. I've heard it all before. If anything, I feel sorry for the guy. He has to put up with hordes of girls like you and I can barely handle a single one._ Not that Shikamaru actually had the guts to say that out loud. He WAS a genius after all and self-preservation was number one on his priority list as a ninja that actually planned to live past thirty.

"And he's totally into me WAY more than forehead-girl!"

There was the cue that she had finally finished her rant on "Sasuke-kun's perfection that no other guy could ever even dream to live up to". _One down and only about 15 more Sasuke rants to go for today...Lucky me! Why couldn't Asuma have gone to pick up Ino? I would have been more than happy to go the extra couple of kilometers to Chouji's place. Asuma said it was because he would be faster, but I have my suspicions._

"So, Shikamaru...how come the mission came up so suddenly?"

"Oh, another team was supposed to go but someone got sick."

"Great!! We get the leftover rejects from some other team!!"

"You know it's not like that."

"Yeah right! If it was an exciting mission I bet the 'sick' member would have felt so much better mysteriously."

"...Yeah, you would do that."

"EXCUSE ME!!??"

As Ino started pounding on him, Shikamaru grimaced to himself. _Shit. I didn't mean to say that part out loud. Gah, early mornings are just not my thing. Note to self: keep sarcastic remarks to a minimum when in enemy land even if it's just in my head._

"Ow. Stop hitting my head. I didn't mean to say that."

"Yeah! Well you should be sorry that you even thought that!!"

"Okay. Okay. I'm sorry. Jeez. Calm down. You'll leave permanent scowl marks on your face."

"WHAT!! No! I can't get wrinkles! What would Sasuke-kun think??"

As Ino whipped out a mirror to make sure that there was no permanent damage done to her face, Shikamaru patted himself on the back for escaping Ino's beatings for now. _Ha! That gets her every time. I just have to be careful not to use it too often, or she'll catch on. _Humming softly and gazing at the sky, Shikamaru continued on to the training grounds. _Can't wait to get there. Hopefully the other two will keep Ino occupied so she'll stop bothering me too much for the rest of the day. _

**To Be Continued**

I've been wanting to write Shikamaru for a while now! He's just another lazy bum until his genius shines through, and BAM he's one of the best characters in Naruto!! I must have a thing for lethargic geniuses...first Kakashi and now Shikamaru.

Well, let me know what you think. My plan is NOT a Shika/Ino pairing, so you'll have to hold tight for a while to find out who will be the "average girl" to catch Shikamaru's attention.

As I'm sure my other reviewers will attest to, leaving a review for me blows good karma your way. So drop me a line. I'd love to hear constructive advice on how to better my writing.

Cheers,

Violettachan

P.S. I've changed my mind on "Kakashi's Singleness." It will continue and has been updated.


	2. 1b And He Says I'm Troublesome Part I

**:::::Mendou na Koi :: Troublesome Love:::::**

By: Violettachan

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and its related characters.

Summary: Shikamaru finds that love just won't leave him alone, no matter how troublesome.

The "...And He Says _I'm _Bothersome..." series will be a subplot within "Mendou na Koi." It will show what the other characters are thinking during their interactions with Shikamaru. Hope this format will not be too confusing. Enjoy.

..._**And He Says I'm Bothersome...**_

**_Part I: Ino_**

"Okay, Shikamaru. Let me just grab my pack so we can head out."

_Great! It's just my luck to be called for a mission on my day off. Stupid Shikamaru...doesn't even have the decency to wait until after breakfast. Well, at least HE can think of something other than food._ As the two trudged to their meeting place, a certain raven-haired boy caught her attention.

_Oh my god!! It's Sasuke-kun. Thank god I had time to put on my new perfume. I just know he'll like it. It just screams "sexy vixen"! Sakura could never pull off this scent, that cry-baby._

"Ohayo— Sasuke-kun!! Ne— Do you notice anything different? Yep, it's a new perfume! Isn't it fantastic?"

"..."

_Kya—I saw his eyebrows twitch. He's so cute trying not to show how much this perfume is making him want to blush!!_

"Oi, Ino we're gonna be late."

"Urusai, Shikamaru. Stop bothering me! De ne, Sasuke-kun I know this totally cool café that just opened near my house. Do you want to go there with me after today's missions?"

_What is his problem?? Can't he see I'm trying to talk to Sasuke-kun? I never bother him when he's trying to get a date...Not like he actually has the guts to talk to a girl, but whatever. If it happened I wouldn't act like such a jerk. He's SO immature._

"Look, he obviously doesn't want to talk or else he would have said something by now."

"Shut UP! He's being a good listener! Unlike you, baka."

_Of course, he wouldn't understand Sasuke-kun's style. He has no idea how cool Sasuke-kun's mysterious allure is to girls. It's so obvious why Shikamaru doesn't have a girlfriend. Jeez, not a single girl I know even bothers to gossip about him._

"Hai hai. I got your point. See ya."

_Finally! He'll be out of my hair._ Ino smiled widely as she resumed talking to Sasuke.

"Ne— Sasuke-kun, where do you want to meet up for our date?"

_WAIT!! Isn't Asuma already waiting for us? Damn it. I can't be late without him._

"WAIT!!! You can't go. Then Asuma will KNOW that you'd already let me know of the mission and it'll seem like I was being late on purpose! Stop being such a jerk! Ne, Sasuke-kun?"

_Good, he's not leaving. Now I can put all of my charms to work on Sasuke-kun. I can't wait to see the look on forehead-girl when she sees us on our date!!_ However, Ino didn't see Shikamaru walking off as soon as she turned her back to him.

"So, the café? It's supposed to be really nice. You do like Italian, don't you? Oh, never mind. Of course you do. I've seen you eat pasta for lunch before. Well, anyways..."

As Ino was listing the details of their "date," she tossed her hair to give her "sexy tousled" look. That tore her eyes off of Sasuke; and as she happened to glance around, she noticed that her team-mate was missing._ That BASTARD!! Why does he always try to ruin my chances with Sasuke?! Damn it! Team-mates are supposed to help each other out! Not sabotage each other's plans. Stupid, stupid, stupid..._ On the outside, Ino smiled sweetly to her Sasuke-kun.

"I'm so sorry, Sasuke-kun. We'll have to figure out the details later. I have to go now. I'll see you later, OK? Bye!"

As soon as she turned the corner, Ino's smile turned into a fiery glower. A little girl who happened to pass by gave a startled yelp and ran to hold onto her mother's skirt. _ Now where did that baka go? He can't be too far ahead; he's way too lazy to actually run. _Ino rounded another corner and caught sight of the boy's bushy ponytail.

"Shikamaru!! I can't believe you left me! God, have you even heard of teamwork before??"

_Of course, you haven't. You hardly even have friends. I swear I've only seen you hanging out with Chouji. That and the old men you play shougi and go with, but of course they don't count! Loser!!_

"Answer me! Don't you dare ignore me!!"

"But I was just following Uchiha's example of being a good listener."

_I can NOT believe he just said that. Like he could even start to pretend to be as cool as Sasuke-kun! Only Sasuke-kun can pull off the brooding handsome look! The only thing Shikamaru has going for him is his dark hair...but even that's all wrong. It's not soft and silky! It stands up on end in that stupid ponytail!_

"Oh no you didn't!! How dare you mock Sasuke-kun! You're just jealous of him because he's so much better than you! And because he's so handsome and cool!" Ino continued to rant while Shikamaru completely ignored her. "...and he's totally into me WAY more than forehead-girl!"

_So there!! Don't worry Sasuke-kun. I'll become the best kunouchi in the village and help you achieve your dreams! _Ino smiled dreamily as she fantasized about a romantic wedding with Sasuke. _I hope this mission will be something that I can rub in Sakura's face and totally impress Sasuke-kun with my prowess._

"Ne— Did Asuma tell you about today's mission?"

"No, he just told me to find you."

The two walked in silence for a while. Shikamaru started to relax and the permanent scowl on his face seemed to be lessening. He folded his arms behind his head and gazed at the clouds as he walked.

"So, Shikamaru...how come the mission came up so suddenly?"

"Oh, another team was supposed to go but someone got sick."

"Great!! We get the leftover rejects from some other team!!"

"You know it's not like that."

"Yeah right! If it was an exciting mission I bet the 'sick' member would have felt so much better mysteriously."

"...Yeah, you would do that."

"EXCUSE ME!!??"

As a gut reaction, Ino whirled around to hit him on the head as hard as she could. However, his protruding elbows prevented Ino from getting a clean hit before he went into a defensive stance. That didn't keep her from trying to get another blow in, but Shikamaru had always been good in defensive manoeuvres. _BASTARD!! BASTARD! Bastard! Can't even be man enough to take your rightful punishment?! WIMP! Your half-assed apologies won't save you today!_

"Ow. Stop hitting my head. I didn't mean to say that."

"Yeah! Well you should be sorry that you even thought that!!"

"Okay. Okay. I'm sorry. Jeez. Calm down. You'll leave permanent scowl marks on your face."

"WHAT!! No! I can't get wrinkles! What would Sasuke-kun think??"

_Oh god!! What if I turn into a horrible, wrinkled, old lady and have to watch Sasuke-kun caress Sakura's baby-smooth face? NO!! I'll die before that happens! Anti-wrinkle-cream!! I know my mom has some in her makeup bag. I'll have to sneak some from her after the mission. The magazines are right. I have to start taking care of my skin early to be able to maintain my beauty after my teens. Sasuke-kun deserves a wife who will stay beautiful even after years of marriage. And he'll always be so handsome...Oh, I bet our babies are going to be the most attractive in the entire Fire Country!_

Gazing dreamily at nothing in particular, Ino kept pace with Shikamaru towards the meeting grounds. As she slowly came out of her reverie, she saw Shikamaru humming as he walked.

_What is he so happy about? He should be feeling guilty for completely ruining my morning! First he ruins my chance to get a date with Sasuke-kun, then he acts like an insensitive jerk!! Hmph! I can't wait to get there. Then, Shikamaru will stop bothering me and talk to Chouji or something. He's so annoying all the time! And he has the nerve to call ME bothersome!!!_

**To Be Continued**

Well, so this is Ino's side of the story for chapter 1. It's a lot harder to capture her voice than Shikamaru's, since I have less emotional connection to her character... Not that I completely dislike her, but a scene with her, Sakura, and Sasuke is enough to make me grimace. I hope that this format will allow me to shed some light on how others view Shikamaru. This will become more important as other characters (and his future love) are introduced.

Again, I would love to hear what you all think. I know that a non-Shika/Ino may not be very popular, but I don't want to do something that's already been done to death. Plus, I don't think I can compete with some of the very talented writers who have dealt with that pairing in detail. So please, give this a chance ï

Cheers,

Violettachan


	3. 2 Onna wa Kimagure : Girls are Fickle

**:::::Mendou na Koi :: Troublesome Love:::::**

By: Violettachan

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and its related characters.

Summary: Shikamaru finds that love just won't leave him alone, no matter how troublesome.

_Italicized_ words are Shikamaru's thoughts.

Well, enjoy and let me know what you think.

_**:::::Mendou na Koi :: Troublesome Love::::: **_

_**Ch.2 Onna wa Kimagure :: Girls are Fickle**_

_Ha- How bothersome, a special mission request from the Hokage. This is going to suck...why can't I have the weekend off? I'm sure there are tons of others who would love to do extra tasks and schmooze to her. Damn Asuma for letting her know of my "special" abilities. Hopefully this isn't the start of some trend; I'd hate for her to start giving me every task that even remotely needs a brain. That would be the end of lazy afternoons for me. _The scowling boy slouched along slowly. _I hope there's going to be other people there, so I can just take a nap while they happily do "important" work for the Hokage._ Shikamaru felt that his luck was surprisingly holding up for the day when he spotted pink hair in the waiting room. _Yes! Haruno, the Teacher's Pet, would LOVE to have a chance to show off! Please, please, please let her be assigned to the same task!_

"Yo-. Hisashiburi."

"Ohayo-! Are you here for the Satou Mission too?"

"Satou? Um..who?"

"Oh, I guess you aren't then."

Shikamaru merely shrugged. _Nah, there's little possibility that both of us would be summoned to this waiting room at the same time if we weren't on the same mission. Haruno has always been hard-working; I bet she'd do all the work without even noticing._

After a few moments of silence, a jounin came into the waiting area and glanced at the two teens.

"You're both here. I'll brief you in this room. Follow me."

As the two obediently followed him, Sakura shot Shikamaru an annoyed glare. _Huh, why is Haruno looking at me like that? I could have sworn she had looked excited just a second ago. Oh well, whatever._

Shikamaru and Sakura listened as the jounin explained the mission.

"The strategist in charge of the Satou Mission has unexpectedly become sick with the flu. As you know, the time sensitive nature of this mission demands an immediate replacement. All other strategists are extremely busy, so you two have been chosen to come up with several alternative plans. We are hoping that you will be able to come up with at least one plan that will be sufficient to form the basis of this mission."

He paused to give the two an evaluating look. Sakura tried too hard to look capable and trustworthy, while Shikamaru yawned. The jounin looked at the two dubiously, but merely nodded as he disappeared in a poof of smoke. As soon as he was gone, Sakura whirled around to face Shikamaru.

"How can you be on this mission without knowing who Satou is??"

"Oh. I'm bad with names."

"Ugh. Fine. Whatever. Just tell me that you know the background information for the mission."

"I do."

"Are you sure??"

"Yeah. There's a bad guy with a fortified base that is seemingly impossible to infiltrate. But one of his trusted henchmen is one of our shinobi. It's really not going to be that difficult with so much insider information. Plus, did you see the blueprints for the building? The west wing of the second floor is such a weak point. Whatever idiot thought that the building was difficult to infiltrate is a complete moron."

Sakura was quiet for a moment or two before she burst out into a smile.

"That would be perfect!! But we'll have to think of other entry points too. If the guard duty schedule changes, the west wing will definitely be out."

Shikamaru was confused. Had this been Ino, he would have been beaten as soon as the jounin had left the room on principle. Then, after explaining himself, he would have been pounded again for pissing her off in the first place by "withholding" information from her. _Well, I guess this isn't so bad. Haruno's tolerable for being one of the Uchiha fangirls._ Shikamaru smirked at the thought that not all Uchiha fangirls were complete fools. Too bad he didn't hide the smirk well enough to escape detection.

"What?"

_Shit, I didn't know she was the observant-type. Thought anyone who didn't notice Uchiha hated all his fangirls was dense. I can't tell her what I was actually thinking. If she doesn't outright kill me for the thought, she'd slowly torture me with obsessive Uchiha ravings. _

"Uh. Nothing. Let's go to the strategy room. I think more information is there."

Sakura's features contorted from curiosity to humiliation to anger in the blink of an eye.

"You can stop looking so smug! You're not the only one who can come up with plans, you know!"

_Oh great! Now she thinks that I was trying to be condescending; probably insecure from that jounin who obviously thought we were a couple of losers. Ha-- glares, smiles, and back to glares. How can she go through so many emotions in such a short period? I'm getting tired just watching her. _

"Ha-, you've misunderstood. Look, I know you're smart and you know I'm smart. We both are more than capable of this mission regardless of what that jounin thought. I don't doubt your abilities."

"Fine. But you better not think that I'm going to let you take all the credit for this mission just because you came up with some general idea! Sure, it's clever but there's a lot of details that have to be ironed out."

"Whatever."

Shikamaru walked off towards the strategy room without bothering to see if Sakura was following. _Ugh, that girl is so tiresome even if she isn't as loud as Ino. In fact, she's worse because I can't predict her actions. God, this is going to be such a long day._

**To Be Continued**

About how Shikamaru and Sakura address each other in their thoughts...I decided to have Shikamaru use her last name, since he seems kind of distant with people. Whereas, Sakura seemed the type to use his first name (not because they are close, but because she thinks he's not worth being formal to...especially since it's not out loud). Correct me if I am wrong, and I will go back and make changes.

-Review Replies-

To Esther:

Don't worry, I'm just as against OCs as you seem. I feel it's almost cheating. At the point that I would use an OC, I'd rather just write a completely original fiction. (Though I have seen OCs being used well by others.) I like working within the limitations of the original work. However, I don't find it necessary to follow every single detail. I take the characteristics of each as a given and work from there. I don't have any problems bending timelines etc. I'm so happy you think I have Shikamaru in character ï?Š

I actually have seen the early episodes of the chuunin exam, but Ino still didn't grow on me. I really thought that the two girls' fight scene was pathetic too. I know Ino is not useless and I find it sad that shonen mangas almost always keep girl characters one-dimensional. Even with the Ino portrayed in other fan fictions being awesome, I still can't really care too much for her. Perhaps her faults (bossy, loud, stubborn) are too reminiscent of my own? Well, hopefully I wasn't too harsh on Sakura.

To Shika Love and Lady Light:

Thank you for leaving a review. It makes me happy just to know that someone enjoyed my work!

So if anyone else is out there reading this, let me know what you think! The next chapter is almost done and should be updated soon.

Cheers,

Violettachan


	4. 2b And He Says I'm Troublesome Part II

**:::::Mendou na Koi :: Troublesome Love:::::**

By: Violettachan

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and its related characters.

Summary: Shikamaru finds that love just won't leave him alone, no matter how troublesome.

..._**And He Says I'm Bothersome...**_

**_Part II: Sakura_**

_I'm so excited!! I can't believe I've been chosen for such an important task. This is the perfect opportunity to show that I'm a talented kunouchi that can handle higher-level missions. I can't mess up!! Especially since people's lives will be on the line... Oh god, I'm so nervous! No, stop! Sakura, girl, you can do this!! HELL YEAH!! _

After talking herself out of her nervous state, Sakura arrived at the waiting room. _Oh, there's Shikamaru. I hope he'll be on the same mission. He'd be perfect; smart but no ambition...definitely not a back-stabber that'll try to take all the credit._ Hearing her enter, Shikamaru turned his sleepy eyes towards Sakura.

"Yo-. Hisashiburi."

"Ohayo-! Are you here for the Satou Mission too?"

"Satou? Um..who?"

"Oh, I guess you aren't then."

Sakura sighed disappointedly. _Darn, looks like I'm the only one here. I guess I'll just have to make the best of it. Besides, the guy is so lazy that he probably wouldn't have done much anyways. _

After a few moments of silence, a jounin came into the waiting area and glanced at the two teens.

"You're both here. I'll brief you in this room. Follow me."

As the two obediently followed him, Sakura shot Shikamaru an annoyed glare. _What the hell? This guy doesn't even know who Satou is and he's on this mission?! How the hell is he going to be of any use if he's so ignorant of the details? Ugh, he's so completely useless! He better not bug ME for information that he could have learned himself! Geez, you'd think he would know that preparation for missions are just as important as the execution itself. And it's not like he had to try that hard either. Most of the essential facts were right there on the scroll given with the request!_

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Sakura listened carefully as the jounin explained the mission. _Oh god, he's looking at us as if he can't believe that KIDS were chosen for such a vital mission. That IDIOT!! Why can't he at least pretend like he's paying attention instead of looking out the window?! _As the jounin paused to give the two an evaluating look, Sakura tried her best to look mature but visibly twitched when Shikamaru yawned. The jounin looked at the two dubiously, but merely nodded as he disappeared in a poof of smoke. As soon as he was gone, Sakura whirled around to face Shikamaru.

"How can you be on this mission without knowing who Satou is??"

"Oh. I'm bad with names."

"Ugh. Fine. Whatever. Just tell me that you know the background information for the mission."

"I do."

"Are you sure??"

Shikamaru gave her an irritated look and sighed heavily. Sakura could barely restrain Inner Sakura from taking over and strangling him. Moments before her slipping control turned the situation violent, Shikamaru spoke up in a bored monotone.

"Yeah. There's a bad guy with a fortified base that is seemingly impossible to infiltrate. But one of his trusted henchmen is one of our shinobi. It's really not going to be that difficult with so much insider information. Plus, did you see the blueprints for the building? The west wing of the second floor is such a weak point. Whatever idiot thought that the building was difficult to infiltrate is a complete moron."

Sakura was visibly surprised. _The west wing?? What is he talking about? That would be the last place anybody would want to go through. It's guarded heavily and...Oh! Wait! No way! Is he talking about the cooling system? Well, yeah...I could see how that would work. But we'd definitely need a strong genjutsu user and it would be time-sensitive._ Sakura smiled widely._ I think this mission is going to be a success! Ha! It would show that jounin for doubting us!! HELL YEAH!!!_

"That would be perfect!! But we'll have to think of other entry points too. If the guard duty schedule changes, the west wing will definitely be out."

Sakura was happily thinking of the logistics when she noticed that Shikamaru had a smirk on his face. _Did I miss something? _

"What?"

"Uh. Nothing. Let's go to the strategy room. I think more information is there."

_He's avoiding an answer. What the hell? Wait!! Does he think I'm stupid for not noticing the security hole until he pointed it out?!!_

"You can stop looking so smug! You're not the only one who can come up with plans, you know!"

Inner Sakura started her destructive rampage as Sakura's eye's gleamed maliciously. Anger clouded her brain and she barely registered that Shikamaru was about to speak. _You BETTER have a damn good explanation you bastard if you want to live to see the next day!! HELL YEAH!_

"Ha-, you've misunderstood. Look, I know you're smart and you know I'm smart. We both are more than capable of this mission regardless of what that jounin thought. I don't doubt your abilities."

Sakura was shocked that he hadn't offered a barrage of lame excuses like Naruto would when he was trying to avoid her rage. _What the hell? He actually sounds sincere. _She paused to look in his eye and saw understanding lurking behind the veil of sleepiness. _Okay, maybe I DID jump to conclusions. And perhaps I was being overly sensitive because of that jounin's scepticism. I mean, maybe he always goes around smirking for no reason like Neji. Ha, I DO need major help if I want to finish these plans today and show that jounin that we're not pathetic losers. I'll let this one slide, but he won't be so lucky next time!_

"Fine. But you better not think that I'm going to let you take all the credit for this mission just because you came up with some general idea! Sure, it's clever but there are a lot of details that have to be ironed out."

Sakura saw the corners of Shikamaru's lips lift slightly. However, the flicker of emotion on his face was quickly replaced by his habitual look of annoyance.

"Whatever."

_Jeez, that's like the first time I've seen him with anything other than a scowl. I hope he'll loosen up a bit or else this mission is going to suck. _As Shikamaru walked away she could hear him grumbling under his breath._ Okay. Not gonna loosen up. That's fine. I'm stuck with an annoying bum, but at least he's not hyperactive and loud. _She started to catch up to him and heard him still mumbling under his breath.

"How troublesome."

_Same to you buddy. I have to put up with you as much as you have to put up with me._

**To Be Continued**

It was hard to use thoughts for Sakura since she has an Inner Sakura too, so I pretty much kept Inner Sakura silent except for the occasional "Hell Yeah". I suppose that's a blah way to handle it though...Any helpful comments would be greatly appreciated.

-Review Replies-

scorpion05: Ah, the pairing. I can't tell you who it's going to be yet, gomen m(..)m I promise it won't be Ino or an OC, but that's all I'm saying for now. Hope you'll keep reading to find out

And thank you to everyone else who reviewed!!

I have most of the plot planned out, so my next update should be pretty soon. Until then...

Cheers,

Violettachan


	5. 3 Onna wa Kayowai : Girls are Frail

**:::::Mendou na Koi :: Troublesome Love:::::**

By: Violettachan

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and its related characters.

Summary: Shikamaru finds that love just won't leave him alone, no matter how troublesome.

_Italicized_ words are Shikamaru's thoughts.

Well, enjoy and let me know what you think.

**_:::::Mendou na Koi :: Troublesome Love::::: _**

**_Ch.3 Onna wa Kayowai :: Girls are Frail_**

Shikamaru hummed a lazy tune as he arrived at a clearing that he had discovered a few weeks back. _I knew this would be an awesome cloud-watching spot; deep inside the forest, but not dark and gloomy. _His usual smirk was almost a smile and reflected his good mood as he sprawled out on the ground. Shikamaru relaxed his muscles and his brain shut out all the strategic information and decisions that were bouncing around from his earlier mission. _Ha--. Now this is life. _Shikamaru immediately fell asleep and his light snores filled the clearing.

After a while, Shikamaru groggily woke up to peculiar sounds. By looking at the sun, he figured that he had been asleep for about three or four hours. The noises didn't sound threatening, but he decided to check it out just in case. _Sure wouldn't want to be killed during a nap...hm, then again, I can think of plenty of worse ways to go. _

He shuffled towards the noise and recognized the thuds of a fist hitting a practice dummy. As he got closer, he saw Hinata. She looked as if she had been practicing for hours judging by the amount of sweat and blood that was coming from her. _Geez, I would never train until I got bloody. Thank god my shadow techniques require mental rather than physical dexterity._ Hinata looked up from her training and turned meek eyes onto him.

"Uh, I-I'm sorry. I-I knew y-you were s-sleeping b-but this is the only training g-ground with a d-dum...dummy with the t-tenketsu drawn out and... um, I'm sorry, I, uh, tried t-to be q-quiet but I f-forgot after a while and... um, uh..."

"I was here to watch the clouds rather than sleep anyways."

The two stood looking at each other as if expecting the other to speak. Hinata proved too shy to continue, while Shikamaru was too lazy for polite chitchat. _Whatever. _Shikamaru started to walk off and Hinata turned back to her training. However, when Hinata let out a small gasp as another gash was added to her already bruised knuckles, Shikamaru turned around to observe her critically.

_Ha miteranne-yo(1). This training of hers just reminds me of her match with Neji; it was like watching a blind puppy head-butting a wall to get to the other side. Sure her determination deserves some respect, but the outcome was and is predictable. She just ends up hurting herself without really gaining any strength. _Even as Shikamaru was analyzing her, Hinata continued to push her limits as she practiced the Hyuuga taijutsu style on a dummy.

_I'm sure Naruto meant well in encouraging her, but he just made it worse. Persistence without any skill to back it up is just plain obstinacy. Why isn't anyone helping with her blindness first before encouraging her to try hard? _Shikamaru snickered internally. _I suppose I'm the only one with the audacity to call a Byakugan-holder blind. Still, it's so obvious that the Hyuuga taijutsu isn't her style; any headway she'd make in it would be minimal at best. _

_Too bad she was born into THE Hyuuga. Thank god I'm not from some prestigious family that would force tradition on me. Of course they're too narrow-minded to see that the family style isn't the only way to use the Byakugan. Hm, seems that hard-headedness runs in the entire family. _

_Really, her best chance to become a decent ninja would be for her to be more open-minded. All she has to do is find a style that would work for her. Maybe something that would make her light weight an advantage through speed and flexibility of movement. _

"Na--, Why don't you back up and try using some weapons?"

"E-eh? Umm, ano-, b-but then I c-couldn't hit the, the t-t-tenketsu."

"Yeah. But that's the advantage."

Confusion was clearly painted onto Hinata's features.

"Look, you're not heavy and powerful enough to do well in a mostly immobile form of close combat. You're better off staying at mid-range and mixing weapon assaults with some other form of taijutsu that'll use your small body as an advantage. Forget the Hyuuga taijutsu style. It doesn't work for you."

Hinata just looked at Shikamaru blankly. It was obvious that she couldn't even begin wrapping her mind around Shikamaru's suggestion to abandon her family's teachings.

_Of course. She doesn't have enough self-confidence to even contemplate that years of tradition could be wrong. Eh, oh well. I tried. It's too troublesome to get involved in such a messed up clan anyways._

"Hey, it's just a suggestion. Whatever."

Hinata stood inert for a few minutes looking insecure. Then, with an apologetic look to Shikamaru and a lot of hand-wringing, she started back into her training routine. _A---nd puppy goes back to head-butting. Oh well. At least lots of people think dumb puppies are cute. Maybe it'll get her some guy that wants to "protect" her or something...probably someone really annoying and full of himself. Like Kiba. Heh._

_Now, what was I doing? Right, cloud-watching. Guess I'll try out this spot some other time; I'll have to make do with my usual place near the river for today. Too bad I don't know when I'll have enough time to try again though. _With a loud sigh, Shikamaru headed off towards his new destination.

**To Be Continued**

(1)Loosely translates to: I can't watch OR it's hard to stand by and watch.

So yeah, Shikamaru doesn't talk much, but I'm sure genius-boy is always analyzing people around him. So I hope you won't think that this chapter is out-of-character with him thinking so much about Hinata. I'm sure anyone would feel sorry for the poor girl and want to help her out.

-Review Replies-

I'm getting so few reviews for this story. I really hope that people are reading it, but just not reviewing. It's sad because I really DO like this story and have spent the most effort on this. Okay, enough of sounding desperate.

For the people who HAVE reviewed, I appreciate you so much! Thank you!! Hope you are enjoying!

Youkolvr: Thank you for your encouragement. You got me off my lazy butt to update

Tama: Glad that you're into alternate pairings too!

Shika love: You've reviewed every chapter so far! Love you!!

Well, gotta go work on the next chapter. Hopefully Hinata's stuttering won't make it an awkward piece.

Cheers,

Violettachan


	6. 3b And He Says I'm Troublesome Part III

**:::::Mendou na Koi :: Troublesome Love:::::**

By: Violettachan

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and its related characters.

Summary: Shikamaru finds that love just won't leave him alone, no matter how troublesome.

…_**And He Says I'm Bothersome…**_

**_Part III: Hinata_**

Hinata slowly trudged to her usual training area while reflecting on the mission she had just completed with her team. _I'm such a burden for Kiba-kun and Shino-kun…Father is right; I AM weak and there is nothing that will change that fact. I want to be stronger, but all the training I do just does not seem to show. _Hinata grimaced at the thoughts that ran through her head. _No! I WILL believe in myself. I just have to keep trying harder. As long as I keep training, it's bound to show soon. If Naruto-kun can believe in me, so can I._

As she came out of her depressing thoughts, Hinata was surprised to sense Shikamaru in her vicinity. _Eh? What is he doing at a training ground this late? I've never heard of him training without being forced; maybe becoming a chuunin has changed him? _As she pushed her Byakugan sense further, she realized that he was sleeping. Hinata let out a slight giggle at the sight of a "fearsome Konoha shinobi" drooling in his sleep. _Hmm. I wonder why he came all the way out here to sleep though. I wish he would have chosen somewhere else. I really have to use this training ground, but I hate to bother him. He'll probably be angry if I wake him up. _After much mental debate, Hinata finally decided that she would stay and train._ Well, if he was always able to sleep through even the noisiest of classes in the academy, I'm sure I will be okay. _

Hinata started her usual training routine and soon forgot about Shikamaru's presence in her exhaustion. She chose not to activate her Byakugan and, instead, was trying to perfect the Hyuuga taijutsu forms. She had been concentrating so hard on her steps that it took her a while to sense Shikamaru drawing near her. _Oh no, I woke him up and now he is probably mad at me. I hope he won't come and yell. Maybe if I stop, he will just leave? No. It'll only draw more attention and make me look weaker. I'll just keep going and hope he won't bother with me. Okay, maybe not. He's here and he's looking at me. I knew it. I should have just gone somewhere else. Why is he just standing there? _

"Uh, I-I'm sorry. I-I knew y-you were s-sleeping b-but this is the only training g-ground with a d-dum…dummy with the t-tenketsu drawn out and… um, I'm sorry, I, uh, tried t-to be q-quiet but I f-forgot after a while and… um, uh…"

"I was here to watch the clouds rather than sleep anyways."

_Ah, of course. Clouds. He is such a strange one. So lucky. He doesn't seem to train much and he already made chuunin. His parents must be proud of him… unlike mine. _

_Um, why is he still here? Should I have said something? But now it's too late to reply. He must think I'm an idiot. Um, um… _The two stood looking at each other as if expecting the other to speak. Hinata proved too shy to continue, while Shikamaru was too lazy for polite chitchat. After some time, Shikamaru started to walk off. _Oh good, he's leaving. _

Giving a sigh of relief, Hinata turned back to her training. However, she was still nervous and hurt herself on a punch that should have been easy for her. _Ow! That hurts! Oh, and he probably heard. I'm so embarrassed. What will he think? I can't even throw simple punches without hurting myself. _Hinata winced as she felt Shikamaru's gaze on her. _Oh, no. He IS staring like he can not believe I'm so incompetent. No! I must take no notice of him. I NEED to concentrate. _Hinata tried to push Shikamaru out of her head and concentrate on her training. _Why is he still here? _Hinata was starting to become frantic. _I can't focus with him here, but I can't tell him to leave. But if **I** just leave, it will look rude. But...oh, what am I supposed to do?_ In her nervous state, Hinata barely suppressed the urge to jump when Shikamaru spoke.

"Na Why don't you back up and try using some weapons?"

"E-eh? Umm, ano-, b-but then I c-couldn't hit the, the t-t-tenketsu."

"Yeah. But that's the advantage."

_What is he saying? Maybe he doesn't know about the Hyuuga style? He did seem to sleep through most of the history lessons during the academy._

"Look, you're not heavy and powerful enough to do well in a mostly immobile form of close combat. You're better off staying at mid-range and mixing weapon assaults with some other form of taijutsu that'll use your small body as an advantage. Forget the Hyuuga taijutsu style. It doesn't work for you."

Hinata's mind went blank before whirring into overdrive. _Not use the Hyuuga style? Why would I want to do that? The Byakugan is the only advantage I have!! I would be even more pathetic if I gave that up! _

_...But surely he is not saying this to make me worse? I mean, he is not the type to purposefully set people wrong, I think. And he surely does not think I am a rival that needs to be undermined. Then what?? Um, he was promoted to chuunin due to his brilliant mental abilities, right? Maybe that's it? He is a genius. And there must be some genius reason for what he's saying, but I am too stupid to understand. _

"Hey, it's just a suggestion. Whatever."

Hinata's overtaxed brain lurched before her emotions took over. _He is not even explaining what he means. He DOES think I am stupid. And he's right. I cannot figure out how to use the Byakugan to my advantage after so many years, while he seems to have already seen something… God! I hate feeling so stupid and useless!! But what can I do? I don't know how to do things better._

Hinata stood inert for a few minutes looking insecure. Then, with an apologetic look to Shikamaru and a lot of hand-wringing, she started back into her training routine. With a loud sigh, Shikamaru headed off towards his new destination. Hinata exhaled the breath she was holding and tried her best not to cry.

**To Be Continued**

-Review Replies-

A big thank you to Ice, Scorpion05, Sweet Anime Fan!!

Xoni Newcomer: I know my chapters are short, and I don't even have the decency to update frequently to make up for that. Gomen nasai. But, this is the best I can do for now and I'll try to make them longer in the future (or at least update more often).

The Prime Minister: Thank you for your detailed review. I really appreciate the time you took! Sorry that the scene cuts are confusing. The scenes come in pairs with a "he says/she says" kind of format. As for the relation among these pairs, there aren't any so far (other than chronological order). Um, was that even more confusing?? Anyhow, I added numbers to the chapter titles to help clear things up.

And to anyone else who is reading, hope you are enjoying!

Cheers,

Violettachan


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